After he was killed in November, his sister, Anna Birzul, penned a petition asking President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to award him the highest military honor, a 'Hero of Ukraine'.
Petitions need 25,000 signatures within 90 days for consideration, with her's collecting over 18,000 so far.
"I'm asking people that I know who are famous in Ukraine, they share a link to my petition on their social media and I'm very thankful for that. That's one reason why it's going so fast. Right now, I'm still on their minds because I call them up all emotional and beg, 'Now, please, I'm ready to get down on my knees'."
It's one of at least 2,000 submitted, since Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion. However fewer than 400 have been honored.
Set up in 2015, successful award appeals must be evaluated by a presidential committee established last May to handle the new influx with daily petitions now being submitted.
In a statement announcing its creation, Zelenskiy said: "We must know the names of all our heroes."
His office did not answer questions for this story.
Some Ukrainian veterans have questioned the flood of petitions, saying bestowing the honor too widely would devalue it.
The government does not disclose its losses, but Western intelligence services have estimated that tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have been killed.
The award comes with substantial financial compensation, including free housing for honourees or their surviving relatives.
That's cold comfort however for mourners like Birzul.
"I'm still waiting for the moment when I wake up and it turns out that my brother is alive."
